THE BLOOM GIRLS by Emily Cavanagh & GIVEAWAY

The Bloom sisters are close, but not about sharing secrets and feelings with one another. In Emily Cavanagh’s (Lake Union Publishing), THE BLOOM GIRLS, the sisters are all named after flowers: Cal – Calla Lillies, Violet, well, Violets and Susan, Black-eyed Susan’s. Cal is the oldest, she’s private and takes charge. Violet is the middle sister, the outspoken rebel at heart. Susan, or Suzy as she’s called within the family, is the baby, warm and kind, the peacemaker.

Each sister is in the middle of her own personal crisis when she receives news that their father has died. Cal is torn between her own family and high-powered career as a lawyer. Violet regrets breaking up with a man she now believes she loves. And Suzy is dealing with her own issues. Since their parent’s divorce, each has had a very different relationship with their father. Cal has been close, while Violet and Suzy have barely spoken to him.

All three set aside their differences and drive up from Boston to their father’s home in Maine to make plans for his funeral. Immediately memories from the past are dredged up stirring up emotions, which turn the sister’s time together into an intense rollercoaster. Each starts revisiting her own unique version of the past and all end up learning more from each other about their father than anticipated. They’re forced to consider the man they thought was their father, may have been someone entirely different.

A teacher as well as a writer, Emily Cavanagh lives with her husband and two daughters on Martha’s Vineyard Island. Her work has been published in Red Rock Review, Grain Magazine, Transfer, and Martha’s Vineyard Arts and Ideas. Read more about Emily’s work and life at www.emilycavanaghauthor.com.

I don’t know of any family secrets. I did learn that my husband’s late paternal grandma was very similar to me in terms of how she would write columns for newspapers and stuff. (Kind of like how I blog.) I also learned after my own late paternal grandma’s passing that she bowled. I always thought only my grandpa bowled.

I’m not aware of any deep, dark secrets. My cousin was the first to come out as gay. My son is transgender. I have no idea what my family members really think, but they are all civil when we get together. My husband’s grandfather never divulged anything about his family. Didn’t want to talk about it. All we know is that they were from Hungary.

Years ago my Dad’s side of the family found out that their brother who was MIA during the Korean War had a son. He contacted one of my Uncles in California and they believed him, my Dad was never really convinced.